Best Seller List
by ElesaryAyres
Summary: The continuation of the series, following all of the sisters and their families.
1. Chapter 1

Kate

January 5

12:58 AM

The inspiration came in a dream, late on a Friday night. Or, as I thought as I glanced at the top of my glowing screen, very early on a Saturday morning.

I rubbed my eyes and braided my hair as I examined the words that I had written, changing a few things here and there. But overall I was pleased, it seemed I was over my block, and perfect timing, my agent wanted a new storyline to sell to the publisher.

"Kate?" Matt called blurrily from the bedroom, waking to an empty bed.

"Working." I called back softly.

"Get your butt back to bed." He ordered and I laughed.

"But I'm writing again." I said.

"I'm tired, and I need you to sleep." My husband said as he padded into my workroom, his hair messy and pajama pants wrinkled.

"You married the wrong sister then," I joked, tilting my face to catch his kiss, which as always, stole my breath. "Hannah is known to sleep soundly."

"Naw," Matt scraped his whiskers on my face to make me laugh, which I did. "Jonas woulda tried to kick my ass." He peeked at my screen.

"Go away! Mathew, you know I don't like people reading unfinished work." I shoved him and to my annoyance, he didn't budge.

"It looks good to me, Honey." He said, "Your inspiration will still be there tomorrow."

"Maybe," I replied absently, chewing my lip and fixing a few sentences to run smoother.

Matt slouched in the chair he had placed in the room for this very reason, so he could quietly watch my fingers flying over the keys.

It took a few minutes, but eventually, I pressed send, and pushed back my chair with a contented sigh.

"My editor will get the overview when she wakes up, and then she'll stop bugging me, at least until the next deadline." I looked at my husband to find him sleeping quietly. "Damn," I muttered. "I must be working him too hard."

Thanks to the Granite brothers' hard work, our bookstore was almost done in less then a year. I'd have to place my first order of books in the morning.

I'd yawned and nudged Matt awake with my foot. "Come on, Matt," I said "Lets go back to bed."


	2. Chapter 2

p class="MsoNormal"Matt/p  
p class="MsoNormal"Sunday, January 11/p  
p class="MsoNormal"11: 52 PM/p  
p class="MsoNormal" /p  
p class="MsoNormal"I was worried about Kate. She was writing all the time, all day and late into the night. I couldn't count how many times in the last week I had woken up to a cold bed and the frantic sounds of a keyboard in the other room. A couple of times she had come to me as I was working, or cooking in the kitchen in tears and throw herself in my arms crying./p  
p class="MsoNormal" /p  
p class="MsoNormal"Sarah had told me that this was her process, she waited for inspiration then threw herself whole heartedly into her work; which, according to Libby, hadn't been exactly healthy before, but now it was worrisome since Kate was pregnant./p  
p class="MsoNormal" /p  
p class="MsoNormal"As always, the knowledge that my wife was pregnant filled me with pride. I couldn't wait to feel my child bloom underneath my hands./p  
p class="MsoNormal" /p  
p class="MsoNormal"I was trying to be supportive and patient, but I was not going to allow Kate to endanger herself or our child./p  
p class="MsoNormal" /p  
p class="MsoNormal"I sighed, and looked at the ceiling. It was late and she was still writing, had been writing all day until I dragged her to Hannah's house for dinner, where she cooed over her nephew, oblivious to her sisters worried gaze./p  
p class="MsoNormal" /p  
p class="MsoNormal"I threw the covers off and padded into her workroom./p  
p class="MsoNormal" /p  
p class="MsoNormal""Time for bed, Kate." I said sternly, resting my hands on her shoulders./p  
p class="MsoNormal" /p  
p class="MsoNormal""Jeez!" she jumped at my touch, you scared me, Matt." She turned her face up for my kiss. I kissed her lightly, noticing she hadn't made any move to save her document or close her computer./p  
p class="MsoNormal" /p  
p class="MsoNormal""I'm serious, Kate, you need to sleep."/p  
p class="MsoNormal" /p  
p class="MsoNormal""Nah, I got a few hours in me left." She wasn't understanding what I was saying./p  
p class="MsoNormal" /p  
p class="MsoNormal"I let my hand rest on the top of her computer. "Press save, and then I'm taking you to bed."/p  
p class="MsoNormal" /p  
p class="MsoNormal"She glared at my hand without moving. "What do you think you are doing, Matt? I control the rate that I write. I have been doing this for a long time, and just because we are married doesn't mean you can tell me when to stop em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"doing my job."/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" /p  
p class="MsoNormal"I leaned down and got in her face. "I sure as hell can when em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"your work/em isn't healthy for you or our child. Don't you tell me I can't take care of my wife and kid, Kate, or I will call your editor and tell her you can't write until the baby comes."/p  
p class="MsoNormal" /p  
p class="MsoNormal"Kate gasped, "You can't do that!"/p  
p class="MsoNormal" /p  
p class="MsoNormal""Sure I could, I might need Libby to send an email, but she would if you were putting yourself in danger."/p  
p class="MsoNormal" /p  
p class="MsoNormal"Kate clicked the save button and looked me in the eyes. "I understand where you're coming from, I really do, and I'm willing to come to bed on one condition," she paused, waiting for my consent, I nodded impatiently and she continued. "As soon as the baby is born I can go back to writing the way I want and you will stay the hell out of it."/p  
p class="MsoNormal" /p  
p class="MsoNormal"I swallowed, Kate was as mad as I had ever seen her. She had never been mad at me before, and I found I didn't like it, but she had to see what she was doing to herself and our baby./p  
p class="MsoNormal" /p  
p class="MsoNormal""Fine," I relented, lying to my wife for the first time, "but for now, you need sleep." /p 


	3. Chapter 3

Tyson

Thursday, January 16

9:27 AM

The morning light hurt my eyes. I blinked groggily to clear them. My mouth was dry as cotton, and tasted like I had spent the night drinking. I hadn't, I had- _what did I do last night, and why can't I remember?_

I thought back to yesterday, trying to figure out where and why his memories ended._ He was working, and then-_ nothing. He couldn't remember anything after Libby brought him his dinner and sat there until he ate it. He had thought that it tasted slightly off, but I didn't think anything of it at the time.

_Had she drugged me?_

"LIBBY!" I yelled as I got up and left the room. "Where are you!" there was no reply. I glanced at the clock again, where would she be at 9:30 on a Thursday morning?

I grabbed my keys and headed out the door.

"Where is she?" I demanded of the receptionist when I arrived at the hospital.

"Umm, Dr. Drake-"

"Its Dr. Derrick, now." I snarled.

"Yes, umm, she's in the lab-"

I was gone before she finished the her sentence.

"LIBBY!" I shouted, slamming into the lab. She and the other researchers turned to look at me, alarmed.

"Tyson!" Libby gasped, glancing around at our audience. "What are you doing here?"

"You mean, what am I doing awake?" I snarled, reaching for her.

She let me pull her close to me and my nostrils filled with her fragrant scent, which calmed my body immediatly. _Stay mad, dammit!_

"We can talk about this later, Ty." She said softly, rubbing her small palms up and down my arms. "I'm working right now."

"So was I, when you drugged me!"

"You're wrong-"

"I am a genius, Libby, certainly smart enough to know when I've been drugged.

"You didn't let me finish," she yanked her arm from my grasp, well, she tried to. I wasn't about to let her go. "Yes, I drugged you, but you weren't working, you were killing yourself! And I support your research and will love you and help in anyway that I can, and that means taking care of you when you wont take care of yourself! I wont apologize for that!"

I pointed my finger in her face, angry and confused. "This is- this is bullshit, Libby!"

I turned and stormed out, leaving her staring after me.

I got in my car and drove along the coast until I found a small inlet to pull into. I stared at the ocean and tried to figure out why I was so mad. I usually didn't see the point of getting mad unless someone was threatening Libby, and I had never been mad with her. So why now?

Yes, drugging me was bad, but I knew how I got when I was working. I couldn't blame her for my actions, and if our roles were reversed, I wouldn't hesitate for a second.

I sat there for hours, until the sun began to set and my stomach reminded me I hadn't eaten all day. I climbed back into my car and headed back to town. I'd go home and apologize and then take Libby out to dinner to make it up to her. Maybe we'd go dancing.

It was dark by the time I pulled up in our driveway. The lights were off and the house was quiet. I let myself in. "Libby?" I called, and searched the house for the second time in one day.

And just like before, I found it empty.

Sarah

7:38 pm

"Are you sure you didn't burn it this time?" Damon asked irritably from the dining room as I opened to oven to retrieve my second baked chicken of the evening.

"Yes, now stop being cranky." I replied, smelling it just to be positive it was edible. To be on the safe side I planned to make my husband take the first bite.

I entered the dining room with the bird and placed it on the table. I had just set it down when the doorbell rang. "Would you get the salad from the fridge?" I asked Damon as I went to get the door.

"Libby!" I gasped when I opened it, "What are you doing here?" I ushered her inside quickly.

She forced a smile, "Hey, Sarah, can I stay for dinner? I really don't want to go home right now."

I forced down my alarm and pulled her into my arms. "Of course, sweeti, what happened? Damon, could you set a place for Libby?" I called.

I waited until we were eating before I asked Libby what was going on. She looked up from pushing her food around on her plate. "I had a fight with Tyson, but I don't want to talk about it." She quickly glanced away, tears filling her eyes.

I pursed my lips and exchanged a look with Damon, who shrugged and turned his attention back to his dinner.

"Do you want to stay here tonight?" I asked, gently squeezing her hand.

Libby smiled and shook her head. "I think I'm going to go to Elle's see if I can sleep in my old room."

After we finished dinner I walked Libby out. At the door I pulled her into a hug and squeezed her tight. "It's gonna be alright." I promised.

She hugged me back and whispered goodnight. As I watched her walk away, I pulled my cell phone out and called my brother in law.

Elle

11:48 PM

I woke suddenly, knowing my sister was coming. I grabbed my robe and padded down the stairs where Jackson sat in a pool of lamplight, going over a case he was working. He looked up when I came in and I moved over to kiss his head. His arm wrapped around my waist, gently pulling me down for a proper kiss.

"Libby's here." I said, pulling away to get the door. I waved my hand at the kitchen as I past to set the water for tea boiling.

"Libby," I said, opening the door as she came up the porch. I pulled her into my arms and hugged her tight. "Your room is how you left it and should bring you peace."

"Thank you, Elle," Libby replied with a tenuous smile, squeezing my hand. I pulled her inside and closed the door against the chill of the night. Jackson appeared at the end of the hall with two cups of Hannah's special tea.

"Thanks, Jackson." Libby said, cupping the warmth. Jackson nodded and disappeared back into the house.

"You'll stay here tonight, Libby." I told her firmly and walked with her upstairs to her room. One day that room would belong to my fourth daughter but for now it hadn't been touched since my sister moved out.

I tucked her into bed and said goodnight, flicking off the light as I left.


	4. Chapter 4

Abby

Sunday, January 18

5:37 PM

I strode purposefully to the water for the millionth time, forcing down the tears and the fear that rose inside me like a vile wave, threatening to pull me under.

The moment the cold gray water touched my toes I turned away with a cry and ran back up the beach.

Dark cold water, choking struggling upwards, ripped to the bottom, everything going black- "NO!"

"Abby!" warm, strong hands grasped my shoulders and pulled me from my reverie.

"Alexandru?" I asked, clinging to his familiar warmth. "my sisters! Dinner! Its time, isn't it?"

He pulled away so he could look at me carefully. His eyes were hooded, keeping me from being able to read him, but concern was etched around his mouth.

"Baby, what's wrong?" his hands cupped my chin and forcing my eyes to meet his. I wrenched my eyes away and pulled from his grasp.

I turned and put distance between us, unwilling to admit, even to myself, that the one place that I was supposed to be safe had turned against me. I couldn't have this conversation, not with him, not right now, not with my sisters coming to dinner soon. "Everything's fine," I told him, forcing a smile and fleeing for the house. He didn't believe me, and his worried, searching gaze followed me up the stairs inlaid in the cliff and all the way to the house.

I walked into the house through the kitchen door and sagged against it in relief, noticing too late that Hannah was already unpacking the food she had brought from her home. She watched me with worried eyes as I straightened up and smiled at her genuinely, pulling her into a warm hug.

She had bloomed under Jonas' watchful love and looked far healthier and happier now than she ever had as a supermodel, even now, dressed in casual blue jeans and a tight red blouse.

But now she eyed me carefully and I jutted out my chin to dare her to say anything. Usually, I hated fighting with my sisters, but now I was itching for one. Hannah must have seen this in my eyes because "you have just enough time to take a shower before dinner." Was all she said as she thrust a fragrant mug of tea into my cold hands.

I took the hot drink and nodded. I paused at the door and turned back to my sister. "Don't ah, tell the others," I muttered, unable to meet her eyes, before fleeing up the stairs to my warm shower.

Dinner was served and my sisters and their husbands were around the table when I came downstairs, dressed in warm and cozy clothing. The room went silent as I entered and Kate leaned back away from Elle and glanced at me guiltily. Despite the sudden anxious flutter in my chest, I forced a smile. "Who's hungry? I'm starved,"

Sasha's hand slipped into mine, and angry at him or not I was glad for his support.

Hannah purses her lips but waves a hand at the kitchen and a cooked chicken and mashed potatoes and salad and rolls come floating to rest on the table. The clink of forks to plates fills the room for a moment, until Joley breaks the silence by asking Kate about her pregnancy, and pulling out photos of her son Brahm, who was just under a month old. Hannah glanced at me and segued into a funny anecdote about Calivan, her own son and I felt myself relax, soothed by my sisters and delighted by the stories of my baby nephews. What would it be like to have one of my own?

"So Abby," Sarah said, putting her fork down with a decisive clack. "Are you going to tell us what's wrong?"

My sisters and there husbands fell silent, staring at me with concern. Sasha's hand appeared on my thigh, comforting me. I swallowed thickly, not wanting to answer their questions about this. If I couldn't deal with this, how could they? I didn't think they could and I would be damned before I accepted their pity.

"Nothing's wrong, okay?" I lied with a smile, forcing my hand to stop shaking as I speared a potato and lifted it to my mouth. It tasted of sawdust.

"So, Kate, how's the book coming?" Alexandre said neutrally and I could've kissed him, because it was the perfect distraction. With Kate's pregnancy and her frantic work schedule, everyone, especially Libby, was worried about her health and that of her child. Perhaps I should feel guilty for forcing Kate to take my place on the hot seat, but I didn't, because I was worried too.

"Never mind that," Sarah waved her hand dismissively, "Kate just needs to listen to Libby and we need to know what is wrong with you." She leveled her eyes directly at me.

"There's nothing wrong with me," I replied numbly, my mind a constant stream of dropitdropitdropit.

Joley glared at Sarah, "not with you, sweetheart, but something is wrong." She said, turning back to me.

I couldn't catch my breath, couldn't do this right know. I blinked, realizing I had stood up hard enough to knock the chair backwards. "Abby?" Sasha asked, concern furrowing his brow.

I turned and ran, bare feet slapping up the stairs until I threw myself on our bed, inhaling my husbands comforting scent until my breathing slowed. What was the matter with me?

After a while my breathing slowed and the sound of my hear beat was no longer quite so deafening. If I concentrated, I could hear Elle and Hannah cleaning up downstairs, while Ilya, Damon and Sarah talked in the living room. Libby examined Kate, and Alexandre saw Jonas and Jackson to the door.

I was half asleep by the time the door slammed for the last time behind Tyson and Sasha came upstairs. I knew the moment he entered the room, but I didn't say anything, and neither did he, instead he came to the bed and curled up around me.

He didn't ask me what was wrong, and I didn't say, instead he did exactly what I needed; he held me until I fell asleep.


End file.
